No Longer in a Bind

Can you see what is in that picture? Beside the most gorgeous 6 year old on the PLANET. A quilt that has a binding on it. Yeppers. The first full size quilt I have ever done by hand. Why doesn't anyone tell you that your wrist is really going to hurt after an entire day of hand sewing?

This quilt had to get done about 5 months ago. It is for my in laws 5oth wedding anniversary. Which was about 5 months ago. But 5 months ago, I had no idea how to bind a quilt. And I didn't want to mess this up. Because it is kind of special.

So after binding a baby quilt, I started to think that I could do this one. But whether I believed it or not, it had to get done. You see, we are off to Scottsdale to see my in laws for a few days and there is no way I could land in Arizona without this quilt. It has been far too long as it is.

I am so glad to have this one done. Binding isn't half as bad as I thought it would be. And if I am not been bombarded with "Mom, where's my ...." or "Mom, can you ..." or "Mom, so and so did this or that", I actually kind of find it meditative.

Binding done on this one means that I can do the binding on a few others. Getting that done will be a good thing. I am all about getting things off my plate these days.

Anyhow, one down, a few more to go. But they will have to wait a couple of days until we get back.

L xo

PS - here's the front side of the quilt

PPS - I am going shopping at Target while in Scottsdale. Just in case you were curious.

PPPS - In order to bind a quilt without interruption, I would have to do it in my car, parked in the drive way, with a flashlight on my head, between the hours of 2 am and 4:30 am, when no one in my family is awake. That's about the only way. No kidding.

The Blocks that Turned it all Around

Beatnik Bee Blocks - March #3
Originally uploaded by lnwcohen

Well, confession time. I messed up on a Bee block. Not these. Another one (not telling you which one). And because I messed up, I was feeling kinda down on the whole VQB thing.

But then ...

I went through the fabric Katie sent me for my Beatnik Bee and things started looking up. I mean, I didn't use half of it and look what I got to work with. Gorgeous. And these blocks are going to be made into a quilt for her daughter. Which made me love these blocks even more. You see, with 2 boys, there isn't a lot of making stuff for girls around this house. And I love making stuff for girls. I am a card carrying member of the girly girl club (but I can get in the mud and up a tree like the best of the boys).

So big thanks to Katie. I am completely in love with my Bees again.

L xo

PS - This was the first time I sewed with Anna Maria Horner's voile. Not for the faint of heart. Takes a little getting used to BUT ohmygosh, is that fabric beautiful and soft. I'll be making a quilt out of it soon (and that Evening Empire Dress that I plan to wear EVERYWHERE).

Musings on Taxes - Spring Style

One More Thing ...

So, I completely forgot, but I have some BIG NEWS. But I don't want to say anything until I can confirm it FOR SURE. When I got the BIG NEWS, one of the comments made by D was that there were no pictures of him on my blog (this will all make more sense when I can tell you the BIG NEWS).

So, I am rectifying the no photo problem by adding this one. I would have added a better one but because D is the reason I am not skiing and doing taxes instead, I thought this one was appropriate.

Good times!

L xo

PS - the all caps is me shouting because it is really BIG NEWS (for me, at least). And wait until I tell you how I found out. Now there's a story.

The Half of It

Remember when I told you I was up until 1:30 a.m. cutting squares for Bee blocks. Well this is what I did - and it is only the half of it. I spent the next night cutting the rest. Now, had I put the squares anywhere but our basement floor, it could have waited. But that would have been the sensible thing. Instead they were on the basement floor and I invited 3 1st graders and 1 2nd grader over for playdates Friday. Silly, really. Using the basement floor, I mean. The playdates were awesome (I got to teach one of S's sweet classmates how to knit - it was so fun having a girl around - loved it). And all that fabric is all done. Hooray.

Not hooray - tax weekend. I have been at it all weekend. Not fun at all. I mean, I fell asleep in my clothes last night. That's how taxing tax time is (yes, I find myself funny). But we are almost done. Which means if I can focus for a few more hours, I may get some time to sew. And since I am missing skiing today to do taxes, a little sewing would be nice.

Just so you don't think I have been slacking, here are a few blocks for your viewing pleasure ...

For the Bees Knees Bee

For the PS I Quilt Pinwheel Sampler Along

Alright, enough fun for now. Back to taxes. Have a great Sunday!

L xo

PS - Check out the lobster at the bottom of the Block photos - E painted that for me. Love that kid! Love that lobster!

PPS - S got a 1 recess detention for saying "boobies" at school this week. I am only telling you so that I don't forget - am sure I can use it against him when he graduates from Princeton or hairdressing school or whatever.

Happy Spring

[picture from http://www.nestprettythings.com/]

So many posts in February, so few posts in March. And now, nothing to show you that I have been sewing. But only because I can't, for the life of me, find my SD card or USB thingy. Since Valentine's Day. So much for the Love Month.

I have been sewing. And sorting. But nothing I am over the moon about. Just Bee blocks. Not that I don't like doing them, I do. Just that I am missing that "making a quilt top feeling". You know what I am saying?

I have had a little flickr mail convo going with my Bee friend Greta. Greta and I are on the same page about a lot of stuff quilting-ish. It is really nice to have a Bee friend. Except that Greta had me thinking so much about blocks for my Bees that I couldn't sleep last night. I landed up cutting away at fabric until 1:30 am. And I am only about 1/2 done cutting. Lots of little pieces. But I think this block is going to be awesome. I stole the idea from Red Pepper Quilts and from Greta.

[photo from www.redpepperquilts.com]

But, I really shouldn't be working on those blocks because they don't need to be ready until June or July (I can't remember). The Bee blocks I need to work on are those for my Beatnik Bee blocks. Those need to be ready to go by mid-April because May is my month.

The Beatnik Bee is kinda a quilting out of the box kinda Bee (I think). So I came up with a out of the box kinda idea. One of my favourite artists/illustrators is Charley Harper. We love Mr. Harper around my house. We have books with his drawings, colouring books with his drawings and games with his drawings. Like I said, we dig on Mr. Harper.

So, my Beatnik Bee blocks are going to be all about Mr. Harper. 12 different blocks with sizes no smaller than 10.5" and no bigger than 16.5". The size will be determined by my fellow bee-ers. I am going to send each one one of Mr. Harper's illustrations and then have them interpret it in their block. It can be as literal or as figurative as they decide. I am going to do up 2 example blocks to give everyone an idea and then I am going to let them loose.

In case you don't know who Charley Harper is, here are a couple of examples (not saying these would be the ones I would choose - something a little simpler will work better, I think) ...

I am going to send out lots of different fabrics - solids and smaller prints that match the picture the bee-er gets sent.

I actually think this is going to be a fun family thing to put together - I'll have the boys choose the pictures and then help with the fabric. With all these Bees, I think my stash will finally be mangeable.

Anyhow, I think I have more than made up for my lack of posting through March with this beyond long post. I am off to enjoy the sunshine and hot yoga.

I'll post pictures of all my quiltalong and Bee blocks soon.

L xo

PS - I bought myself that necklace today. How Springy is it? So cute I can barely stand it! I love Spring. Love it.

Something A Little Lighter

Well, I can't just post a heavy post like the last one and just leave it at that. Not my style. So I am back to lighten the mood. And because everyone needs to see this dress. Gorgeous. And this dress has made my day.

Now, I have only made pj's so far as far as clothing is concerned. But let me tell you, I will be wearing this dress this summer. Oh yes, I will. I am going to make it. Oh yes, I am.

I pretty much love everything Anna Maria Horner does (is there a fan club?). I am working on a huge fat quarter quilt out of her Garden Party and Good Folks fabric lines. My Modern Tradition Bee blocks had a ton of her fabric in them.

And that voile, well, I have a lot of it. Which is a good thing, because the dress is made out of voile. I can only imagine how amazingly it drapes and how good it feels on. I'll let you know all about it after I make it.

I think once this dress is made (mum, can I count on you for a "little" help???), I am going to wear it all the time. Except to Hot Yoga. But apart from that, all the time.

Thanks Anna Maria for another fabulous pattern!

L xo

PS - Lesly and Jessica - thanks so much for your comments on the last post. I totally agreeing about change and choice, Lesly. Will be all good. I know it. And really, if it isn't, I'll just choose something different again!

PPS - I got my pattern here.

BIG

So we are making some big decisions around here. Big ones. Some that affect others, and the response will most probably not be all that positive. Some that will just affect the 4 of us, but they are life changing (as in my life changing) in good ways.

How do you know what the right thing to do is? Can I, can we do this? And how? How do you make a decision that is good for you but will disappoint others?

Much like my Mendocino fabric, I am placing these big questions in the hands of the Universe/God/Budha/Higher Power. I am asking for help.

And I am ironing. A lot. Because ironing let's my mind meander between thinking about the decisions I have to make and thinking about nothing.

All this ironing means lots of quilts, I hope.

L xo

PS - For the first time in my entire existence, I am going to ask for an appliance for Mother's Day. An iron. A really good, automatic shut off, iron. Times, they are a changing.

PPS - I am so grateful that I have the ability to make choices about my life. I do not take this blessed life I have for granted. I do my best to say thank you whenever and wherever I can for all that I have been given.

PPPS - If anyone is listening, thank you.